ESTABILIDADE FENOTÍPICA EM GOIABEIRA (Psidium guajava L.) COM ÊNFASE EM PESO DE FRUTO, PRECOCIDADE E PERÍODO DE COLHEITA

Abstract

The interaction genotypes by environments is of fundamental importance in phenotypic manifestation. In order to verify the phenotypic stability of guava genotypes and to identify groups of accessions with alternative potentials for genetic improvement and for commercial exploitation, 63 accessions from the germoplasm bank of Instituto Agronomico (IAC, Campinas, SP) were evaluated. The evaluation period included six harvests, from 1987 until 1992. The methodology of simple linear regression was used to study phenotypic stability over time. The evaluated traits were fruit weight, crop duration and precocity. The most outstanding accessions were Campos and Creme Arredondada, which showed desirable averages and phenotypic stability for the three traits, besides stable accesses for two traits simultaneously and stable accesses for isolated traits. KEY-WORDS: GE interaction; adaptability; improvement; Mirtaceae; guava.